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Joan Laporta has pledged to do all the things inside his energy to maintain Lionel Messi at Barcelona after being sworn in because the membership’s new president, and has additionally instructed coach Ronald Koeman he has the membership’s backing.
Laporta, who was beforehand Barca president between 2003 and 2010, was voted in by membership members final weekend however needed to safe a €125m financial institution assure earlier than being inaugurated.
Now in workplace, one in every of his first duties is convincing Messi, who turns 34 in June, to increase his contract, which expires the identical month, past the tip of the season.
Messi, who wanted to leave last summer, voted in final Sunday’s election and was seated in entrance of Laporta as he made his speech at Camp Nou on Wednesday in entrance of round 300 invitees.
“I take the chance to say once more that I’ll attempt to persuade Leo (Messi) to stick with us. That could be a must-do process, I’ll do all I can. He is aware of it.
“No matter he does might be OK however we are going to attempt to make him keep as a result of he’s one of the best participant within the historical past of soccer.
“And my apologies Leo, for saying this proper right here and proper now, however of my love for you, Barca loves you numerous and if this stadium can be full whenever you play the subsequent recreation I’m certain you would not be capable of go away.”
Laporta faces a frightening problem, not solely to maintain Messi, but additionally to reverse the membership’s monetary difficulties.
“It’s true that the financial scenario of the membership is the supply of pre-occupation for all Barca associates and us as effectively and that’s our precedence,” Laporta added.
“To show Barca economically viable once more, that’s the reason we’ve got a shock plan we are going to implement. We all know the right way to do it, it’ll imply making an effort and dealing loads.
“Now that we’ve got the ability to make selections we are going to attempt to generate new sources of revenue. We are going to attempt to make the precise selections to reverse the present scenario.”
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